Tweezers actuating device



May 16 1950 J. DRABIK 2,507,762

TWEEZERS ACTUAT ING DEVI CE Filed July 1, 1946 luullllllmllJll 6 IN V EN TOR.

patented May 16, 195.0

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TWEEZERS ACTUATING DEVICE Joseph Drabik, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 1, 1946, lSerial No. 680,545

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to tweezers and has for its main object the provision of means for maintaining the jaws in tweezers in their mutual adjusted relation.

Tweezers used for grasping and lifting small objects such as watch screws, nuts, etc. oftentimes are ineiiicient due to lack of means to maintain the jaws of the tweezers in a rigid contacting relation with the object grasped thereby. When tweezers are used as a tool to manipulate small objects such as watch screws for the purpose of aixing the same Within a watch, the same is liable to be disengaged from tweezers during the `process of operation. Therefore, a further object oi the present invention is the provision of means in tweezers for maintaining the jaws thereof in a frictional, disengageable contact until the operation of tweezers upon the object'held Ais completed.

A still further object of the present invention iis the provision of adjustable means for the jaws `of tweezers for adapting the same for use as calipers.

With the above general objects in view and In the drawing forming a part of this applica- 'tion, and in which like designating characters irefer to corresponding parts throughout the sevseral views:

Fig. 1 is a top elevational view of the tweezers, lwith a knob in association with one jaw of'tweezers for operating the adjusting mechanism for .adj usting the jaws in tweezers;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the tweezers;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the tweezers showing vthe adjusting mechanism in an inoperative position;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the tweezers, illustrating the adjusting mechanism in an operative position; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on line'5 5 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the present drawing there is shown tweezers, including a pair of jaws ID, the ends of which are flattened as at II and connected at their outer termination as at I2. Those flat ends II of jaws ID are of resilient, springy nature for normally maintaining the opposite ends of jaws III in a separated open position, as is seen in Figs. 2 and 3. Each of said jaws I0 is of substantially semi-annular formation as is clearly shown in Fig. 5, so that when jaws I0 are manually pressed towards each other, the jaws close, their opposite edges contact and the jaws assume substantially cylindrical formation on transverse cross-section. The outer ends of each of said jaws I0 gradually taper, the outer free ends whereof assume sharp points I3, by means of which objects to be lifted are grasped when manual pressure is applied against the body portion of said jaws Ill. The above is the usual construction of tweezers.

From the hereinabove description it will be seen that when a small object is grasped by the jaws of tweezers, the same may be lifted as long as manual pressure is continued to be applied tothe body portions of jaws I0. To drive -a small screw, for instance, into engagement with any object, is rather inconvenient, because the slightest accidental release of jaws I0 from continual manual pressure, will separate the jaws and consequently the object held thereby will fall out. To obviate such a result, and for the purpose of maintaining jaws I0 in a continued, adjusted, irictional engagement with the object held by said jaws, the present device was made.

Said device includes staple plate I4, including angularly and transversely disposed legs I5, projecting from each end of said staple plate I4. Leaves I6, laterally extending from said legs I'5 and into opposite directions, constitute means for rigidly aiiixing said staple plate I4 to the inner periphery of one of said jaws IIJ. It is observed that leg I5, nearest to the inner ends of said jaws Ill is longer than the opposite leg I5, causing the body portion of said staple plate I4 to remain in an oblique position with relation to jaws Ill. Said staple plate I4 is however in an oblong relation withsaid jaws lil. The body portion of said staple platel I4 is longitudinally and centrally slotted for defining recess I'i which is coextensive Vwith the body portion of said staple plate I4.

Extended through said recess I'I is arm I8, rigidly formed with knob I9, of an oblong forma- ;tion, arcuate on transverse cross-section, and

contacting with the outer periphery of opposite jaw I0, as is clearly seen in Fig. 5. The outer face'oi said knob I9 is knurled, facilitating manual shiftingA thereof and longitudinally of said last named jaw I0.

The inner, free end of said arm I8 carries pin 2d, driven through said arm I8, and in a rigid transverse relation therewith.

Said arm I3 passes through a longitudinal slot 2l made in said last named jaw I0 adjacent its inner end.

Said pin 20 normally contacts the underface of the body portion of said staple plate I4.

From the hereinabove description it will be seen that two jaws I are interconnected through the medium of staple plate I4 on one hand, and through the medium of arm I8 and pin 20 on the other. When knob I9 remains in the position adjacent the; inner end of jaw'Ill with which the same cooperatespin 20 is adjacent the corner dened by the body portion of said staple plate I4 and the longer leg I5, thereby permitting the free ends of jaws IG to remain open, as isseen l secured to one of said jaws, said plate extending in Figs. 2 and 3. When said knob Iii` is shifted into the opposite direction, that is towards `the free ends of said jaws I0, pin 1,0 ,will'ride upon the lower face of the body portion of staple plate I4, and towards shorter leg I5, thereby gradually bringing the free ends 'of jaws I0 towards each l,other, un'til vthe free Vends of said jaws I0 close, .when arm vI8 'is within the opposite end of slot From the hereinabove description it will be -seen thatwhen an object is grasped by points I3 lof jaws i0, manual v shifting of knob I9 towards said pontsl3,as far as said knob I9 will go, will interlock jaws I, thereby vlocking said'jaws ,IQ 4.against `the object held therebetween, permittingjfree manipulation of the tweezers with the object held thereby, without fear that the Aobject held will be disengaged 'from jaws IIl .On shifting ofl knob I9 Yinto the opposite direction, Athat is towards the inner ends of jaws I0, the ;sarnewill release said jaws lIIJ from their engagement withthe object -heldthereby.

Knob Ai5) is provided with alaterally'exten'ding gpointer 22, on 'one side thereof, to cooperate withscale 23 representing fractions of an inch. -`I fit `is assumed thatfpointer v22, in Figs. 1 and [2, `Apoints to of an inch, indicating that pointsY I3 .ofjawsl I are Yseparated to the extent of g of an incht From that mark scale 273 represents smaller fractions ofjan inch, as Vfor instance 4/16, 2/ie, 11s andfzero Zero of course will be thelast point 4on 'scale 23 towards the free ends vof jawsIU, in- .Vdigcating that when knob I9 has ben'shifted fully towards the free ends rof jaws I0, pointer 22 will pointftd'z'ero indicating points I 3 of jaws I0 in coritact.A Thus itwill be seen that 'shifting "of :jknobj I9along"scale"23 will indicate the distance ,"i'n' ,fractional inches of points I3 of jaws I0, therebyfperniitting measuring of thicknesses, lengths 'and'diameters of small objects. For instance, if fajscrewjhead is grasped between points I'3 of Al'ja'wsdlm'and knob I9 is shifted towards the'free 'en'dS of jaws Ill, as far as it will go, with pointer 22 stoppingVA at 2/16 on scale l23, it will indicate that the screwliead is 2/ie'of Van'inch in diameter.

d It is Yobserved that since the shorter leg lI5 is ffarth'er removed fromopposite jaw I0 thanfthe longer leg I5, thereby the end oistaple plate I4 adjacent the free endsof jaws I0 being in a nearer `proximity to the jaw to which the same is rat- 4 ing points I3 towards each other, and maintaining jaws Ill in their mutual, rigid adjusted relation.

While there is described herein a preferred em- 5 bodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is: 1. A ttt/"eenerv comprisinga 'pair ofy oppositely disposed, resilient jaws connected together adjacent one of their respective ends, the other ends thereof being free and being biased for movement away from each other, a plate rigidly longitudinally of said one jaw and having a portion thereor spaced from said one jaw, said por- "tion of'sa'id plate being inclined to said one jaw in lthe direction of the longitudinal axis of said last named jaw, the other of said jaws having 'an elongated, longitudiallygeitending slot lformed therein,-a member slidably mountedV ongsaid other jaw 'and having an extensionjthereof projecting through said slot, said egtension engaging said 25 inclined'portion of said -plateon the face adjacent said onejaw, whereby actuation of said member inone direction will move the Vfree4 ends .of said jaws 'toward each otheri against said bias, and movement of said member in the opposite direc- ;Q tion permits the free ends of said jaws tolrno've away from each other `under--the influence of said bias.

'-2.A4 tweezer-comprising a A.pa-ir o f 'ippcisitfel'ydisposedfresilient jaws `connected together adjacent vone 'of theirrespective ends,A thefother ends of said jaws vbeing free andjbeing biased for movement away from veach other, a.plate-rigidlysecured to ;oneofsaid jaws and having anjelongated'portion intermediate the ends thereof vexter'id'ing L10glcngitudinally with' respect gto said one jaw, -said intermediate portion lbeingfinlined Vtosaid vplate and havingaslot formed thereinextending longi tudinally thereof, the other `of said jaws having ia slotgforln ed therein aligneddrwith s aid rst slot, a member'slidablyfmounted.on the other of' said Jaws and having an. @Xiansnihereof exidig j through; said aligned slots,a; pinexten`d ing transjversely of said intermediate portionand -thefs'lot formed therein, vsaid pin being rigidly secured to said extension, and said At'iirr'slidably engaging said intermediate -portion onl the face adjacent said'onejaw, whereby actuation of'said member in; one direction4 willmove the `free ends of said jaws toward each other against said lbiasfand 55,'movement'of saidrmemberintheopposite direction-.permits 4the vfree endsfoi saidfJ'W 'remove awayfromeach other' under the inuence'of said bias.

JOSEPH DRABIK.

"REFERENCES'CITED The following references fare' ofi record'in" the "ille of'this patent:

- UNITED STATESPATENTS Number .Name f Date.

646,263 Coleman Mar.' 27, 1900 71,095,564 `EriglesmanV :May 5 1914 2,157,226 Betz ......-'Ma,y9, `1939 

